Methods and systems for production of mesh from wires or rods, with changeable steps for longitudinal and transverse rods

Abstract

Systems and methods for producing mesh from wires or rods with programmed changeable steps for the longitudinal and transverse wires. The longitudinal wires ( 1 ) and the transverse wires ( 12 ) may be fed from coils or be precut. The longitudinal wires are fed in receptacles ( 2 ) on carriers ( 3 ) with the carriers being found on prefeeder carrier ( 4 ), a feeder carrier ( 6 ) with grippers ( 7 ) transports them towards the welding heads ( 10 ) and the produced mesh ( 20 ) is received by a mesh carrier ( 14 ). The carriers ( 3 ) with the receptacles ( 2 ) for the longitudinal wires on the prefeeder carrier ( 4 ), the grippers for the longitudinal wires ( 7 ) at the feeder carrier ( 6 ) and the welding heads ( 10 ) are displaced in the direction of the transverse wire without restrictions, generally in an unrestricted fashion, so as to correspond to the longitudinal wires being subjected to welding. The transverse wires are fed towards the welding heads to be welded with the longitudinal wires. The machine produces meshes with openings, grouping the longitudinal wires in groups and feeding the groups of longitudinal wires towards the welding heads, adjusting the position of the related mechanisms to the position of the longitudinal wires.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A prefeeder for a mesh production system, comprising:
 a prefeeder carrier;   said prefeeder carrier having a plurality of receptacle carriers movably mounted thereon;   a first arrangement of bearings between said prefeeder carrier and said plurality of receptacle carriers;   each of said plurality of receptacle carriers including a respective associated controllable clutch, each of said respective controllable clutches being situated to controllably engage a respective rotary nut, said rotary nuts all being mounted on a linear screw drive so that they are driven in rotation by a rotation of said linear screw when not engaged by their respective clutches, and driven in translation on said linear screw by a rotation of said linear screw when engaged by their respective clutches thus controllably translating and positioning their respective receptacle carriers on said first arrangement of bearings along said prefeeder carrier and along the length of said linear screw;   a first motor operatively connected to controllably rotate said linear screw;   each of said plurality of receptacle carriers including at least one receptacle configured to receive a mesh wire;   said prefeeder carrier being movably mounted on a base;   a second arrangement of bearings between said prefeeder carrier and said base;   a second motor operatively connected to controllably translate and position said prefeeder carrier on said base; and   a first chain operatively connected to said prefeeder carrier, said first chain being controllably driven by said second motor.   
     
     
         2 . A feeder carrier system, comprising:
 a plurality of feeder grippers, said plurality of feeder grippers being movably mounted on a support base;   an arrangement of bearings between said plurality of feeder grippers and said support base;   each of said plurality of feeder grippers including a respective associated controllable clutch, each of said respective controllable clutches being situated to controllably engage a respective rotary nut, said rotary nuts all being mounted on a linear screw drive so that they are driven in rotation by a rotation of said linear screw when not engaged by their respective clutches, and driven in translation on said linear screw by a rotation of said linear screw when engaged by their respective clutches thus controllably translating and positioning their respective receptacle carriers on said arrangement of bearings along said plate and along the length of said linear screw;   a first motor operatively connected to controllably rotate said linear screw;   each of said plurality of feeder grippers including a respective controllable actuator connected to controllably activate the respective feeder gripper to grip mesh wire;   each of said plurality of feeder grippers including a respective controllable elevation actuator connected to selectively and controllably move its respective feeder gripper out of a plane of mesh production;   said support base being supported on a feeder carrier frame;   an arrangement of guides supporting said feeder carrier frame; and,   a second motor operatively connected to drive and position said feeder carrier frame along said arrangement of guides.   
     
     
         3 . A welding machine, comprising:
 a plurality of welding heads, said plurality of welding heads being movably mounted on a welder base;   an arrangement of bearings between said plurality of welding heads and said welder base;   each of said plurality of welding heads including a respective associated controllable clutch, each of said respective controllable clutches being situated to controllably engage a respective rotary nut, said rotary nuts all being mounted on a linear screw drive so that they are driven in rotation by a rotation of said linear screw when not engaged by their respective clutches, and driven in translation on said linear screw by a rotation of said linear screw when engaged by their respective clutches thus controllably translating and positioning their respective welding heads on said arrangement of bearings along said welder base and along the length of said linear screw;   a first motor operatively connected to controllably rotate said linear screw;   each of said plurality of welding heads including a respective controllable actuator connected to controllably activate a respective gripper to grip mesh wire;   each of said plurality of welding heads including a pair of electrodes situated to weld transverse wires to longitudinal wires for mesh production.   
     
     
         4 . A mesh carrier system, comprising:
 a plurality of mesh grippers, said plurality of mesh grippers being movably mounted on a support base;   an arrangement of bearings between said plurality of mesh grippers and said support base;   each of said plurality of mesh grippers including a respective associated controllable clutch, each of said respective controllable clutches being situated to controllably engage a respective rotary nut, said rotary nuts all being mounted on a linear screw drive so that they are driven in rotation by a rotation of said linear screw when not engaged by their respective clutches, and driven in translation on said linear screw by a rotation of said linear screw when engaged by their respective clutches thus controllably translating and positioning their respective mesh grippers on said arrangement of bearings along said support base and along the length of said linear screw;   a first motor operatively connected to controllably rotate said linear screw;   each of said plurality of mesh grippers including a respective controllable actuator connected to controllably activate the respective mesh gripper to grip mesh wire by closing δαγκ{acute over (α)}νεζ;   each of said plurality of mesh grippers including a respective controllable elevation actuator connected to selectively and controllably tilt its respective feeder gripper out of a plane of mesh production;   said support base being supported on a mesh carrier frame;   an arrangement of guides supporting said mesh carrier frame; and,   a second motor operatively connected to drive and position said mesh carrier frame along said arrangement of guides.   
     
     
         5 . A method for mesh production, comprising the steps of:
 adjusting the positions of receptacle carriers movably mounted on a prefeeder carrier, by a linear drive, to correspond to selected spacings of a group of longitudinal wires of a mesh;   advancing the prefeeder carrier with the adjusted positions of receptacle carriers past an axis location-of/located-at longitudinal wire supply, to fill selected receptacle carriers to form a first group of longitudinal wires of a mesh;   repositioning the filled receptacle carriers to a feeder carrier hand-off location by translating the prefeeder carrier;   adjusting the positions of feeder grippers movably mounted on the feeder carrier to correspond to the selected spacings of the group of longitudinal wires of the mesh;   selectively/controllably moving a feeder gripper out of a plane of mesh production;   moving the feeder carrier towards the hand-off location to align the positions of its adjusted feeder grippers with the filled receptacle carriers of the prefeeder carrier at the hand-off location;   gripping the group of longitudinal wires with the adjusted feeder grippers and advancing them towards a welding unit;   adjusting the positions of welding heads movably mounted along a welding line to correspond to the selected spacings of the group of longitudinal wires of the mesh;   receiving the group of longitudinal wires of the mesh in the adjusted welding heads;   welding a transverse wire on the group of longitudinal wire via the adjusted welding heads, to produce mesh;   adjusting the positions of mesh grippers movably mounted on a mesh carrier so that they engage a mesh transverse wire without interference from mesh longitudinal wires; and   engaging a mesh transverse wire with the mesh grippers to extract/move mesh out of the welding unit;   moving the mesh carrier either to or away from the welding line, as an option.